Rotary expansion engine



June 8, 1954 G. E. MALLlNcKRoDT ROTARY EXPANSION ENGINE Filed Jan. 5l, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet l 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 31. 1952 FIG`3.

June 8, 1954 G. E. MALLlNcKRoDT 2,680,430

ROTARY EXPANSION ENGINE Filed Jan. 31. 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 June 3, 1954 G. E. MALLlNcKRoDT 2,680,430

ROTARY EXPANSION ENGINE Filed Jan. 31. 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 June 8, 1954 G. E. MALLINCKRODT ROTARY EXPANSION ENGINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Jan. 3l. 1952 FIG.

Patented June 8, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROTARY EXPANSION ENGINE George E. Mallinckrodt, St. Louis, Mo. Application January 31, 1952, Serial No. 269,287

(Cl. 12S-11) 28 Claims. 1

'I'his invention relates to rotary expansion en gines or the like capable of operating with expansive gaseous or vapor mediums and employing several rotors having multiple pistons operative in a toroidal or annular cylinder. It is an improvement upon the construction disclosed in my copending United States patent application Serial No. 194,599, filed November 8, 1950, for Rotary Expansion Engine, eventuated as Patent No. 2,638,880.

In said patent, means are disclosed for successively reverse locking pairs of pistons attached to diierent rotors, so that each piston successiven ly acts as a reaction point against the frame of the machine for expansive action driving another piston. In order that each piston may effectively reach its reverse-locking position, means are disclosed in said application for temporarily varying the moments of inertia of the rotors during exchange of energy between them and an object of the present invention is to improve the means for the energy exchange.

Another object of the invention is to increase the power of the engine without using more than one pair of rotors and by employing more than two pairs of pistons, and of such a number that lateral forces on the engine rotors are equalized.

Another object of the invention is the provision of improved coupling means between the rotors and the power shaft.

Briefly, the invention consists in arranging on each rotor curved channel members for movable masses which in an improved manner change the moments of inertia of the rotors during period of energy transfer between them. These channel members are magnetically permeable. They are shaped to control the movements of the masses and, in certain forms of the invention, to form preferably asymmetric magnetic torque means for further improving the mode of energy transfer. Each rotor is also connected to the power shaft through a resilient connection by means of which driving action is possible independently of the diiferential gear connection shown in the application.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which several of various possible embodiments of the inventions are illustrated.

2 Fig. 1 is an axial section of one form of the machine, being taken on line l-l of Fig. 3;

, of the machine;

Fig. l0 is a cross section taken on line lll-I9 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 11 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing an alternative embodiment of the invention; and

Fig. 12 is a right-end view of Fig. 11, on a reduced scale.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1-6, there is shown at numeral l a cylinder-forming ring, to which are attached heads 3 and 5. The parts l, 3, 5 form a toroidal or annular cylinder 1 of right-angular cross section for accepting pistons A, B, C, D and W, X, Y, Z. The pistons are slotted for accepting any suitable sealing elements (not shown), of which further description will be unnecessary, being known.

Pistons A, B, C, D are carried upon a rotor P; and pistons W, X, Y, Z are carried upon a coaxial rotor Q. The pistons for one-half their widths extend from adjacent ends of the rotors. vHence they interdigitate in the cylinder 1. Heads 3 and 5 carry caps 9 and H, respectively. In cap 9 is a bearing I3 for rotor Q and in cap ll is a bearing l5 for rotor P. The rotors Q and P are formed as quills l1 and I9 where they pass through the bearings 9 and H, respectively. At 2| is shown a power shaft, the ends 23 and 25 of which pass through the quills I1 and I9, respectively. The mid portion of the shaft is supported upon bearings 21 and 29, carried by bushings 3l and 33, respectively, the latter being fastened within the rotors Q and P, respectively. The parts 3l and 33 also carry bevel gears 35 and 31, respectively, which mesh with bevel pinions 39 which are ro'- tary on a carrier pin 4l intersecting the shaft 2l The gears 35, 31, 39 and carrier pin 4| form a differential drive gear between the rotors (P, Q)

on the one hand, and the shaft 2l on the other hand. The parts l, 3, 5, 9 and Il in eiect constitute a frame in which cylinder` 'l is iixed. The rotors Q and P, with the attached parts moving therewith, constitute rotary systems, the relative movements of which carry out the cycles of events to be described.

In the walls of the cylinder l' (Fig. 5) are located inlet ports -l and 1 2 and exhausts E-l and E-Z. Recessed in the walls are also a pair of high speed ignition devices H, a pair of lowspeed ignition devices L, and a pair of starting ignition devices S. These devices are preferably of the known electrical iiow plug variety. The plugs S are excited during certain starting operations; the plugs L are excited during other starting and low-speed operations; and theplugs H are excited during high-speed operations.

Ratchet or reverse-locking mechanisms l5 and 43 (Figs. e and 10) are located within the heads and 3, respectively, being capable of reverse locking the rotors P` and Q, respectively. Mechanism 45 (Fig. 4) consists of a ratchet il iixed to the member 5 and having four notches 4S at 90 intervals. At 5i is shown a spring pawl, anchored at 53 to the rotor P. The mechanism @3, belonging to rotor Q and shown in Fig. l0, is similar, consisting of a ratchet 8 fixed to the member 3 and having four notches 523 at 90 intervals. A spring pawl 52 is anchored at 5d to the rotor Q. The notches 49 in mechanism 45 are coaxial with the notches 50 in mechanism a3. The end of pawl 52 in mechanism $3 is located relatively to the end of the-pawl 5 i' in mechanism 45, so that when the pistons A, B, C, D of rotor P and W, X, Y, Z of rotor Q are phased, as shown in Fig. 5, the end of pawl 5l is in a notch t9, whereas the end of pawl 52 is between notches 50 (compare Figs. 4 and l0) Attached to the quills Il and i9, respectively, are identical inertia mechanisms 55, 5l. Fig. 3 illustrates the complete mechanism 5i on quill l. The corresponding mechanism 55 on quill il can be seen in Figs. l and 5. These mechanisms are phased at 45 when the rotors and pistons are phased as shown in Fig. 5, the ratchet mechanisms being then phased as shown in Figs. e and l0. Description of mechanism 51 will sufce also for a description of mechanism 55, noting that corresponding index numbers for the latter are primed. Mechanism 5i is constituted by a keyed hub 5e from which extend semicircular hollow arms El, plugged at their ends as shown at 53. The arms and their plugs are composed of magnetically permeable material such as soit iron. Within an inner passage 65 of each arm Si is a spherical ball G1 composed of a suitable heavy material such as tungsten, steel or the like. The inside diameter of each passage E5 is only slightly larger than the diameter of the respective ball 5l. Therefore, the balls may move as loose pistons in the passages with buffering or dash-pot action from the contained air. A small amount of lubricant is ernployed in each passage. The concavities of the pipes are forward with respect to their rotations, which may be taken to Foe counterclockwise (Figs. 3 and 5).

Still describing the inertia mechanism 57, there extends from cap Il a spider B9, the periphery 1i of which supports pairs of magnetic poles 'i3 and T5. Each pole subtends an arc of approximately and in cross section has a horseshoe shape such as shown in Fig. 6, the legs of which are grooved as shown at 'l1 for barely clearing (.020 inch clearance, for example) the trajectories of the extreme ends of the pipes 6I (Fig. 6). These poles are constituted by permanent magnets which may be formed without pole windings if composed of an eicient magnetic material such as Alnico metal. It is to be understood, however, that these poles may be electromagnetic poles permanently excited by suitable D. C. windings.

The two poles "i3 are opposite one another and so are the two poles 15. However, poles i5 are centered on a line F located approximately from the center line G between poles i3. The result is that as the ends of one pair of opposite arms Bl pass the poles 'i3 in an anticlockwise direction, the ends of the other pair of opposite arms El are approaching poles '55. Each arm 6l as its end moves into the magnetic circuit of the pole end becomes of opposite polarity, and l is attracted to the pole. By reason of the asymmetry of each arm shape with respect to the pole, it is more strongly attracted in an approaching direction than in recession. This is because the reluctance of each polar flux circuit changes more slowly Vunder the former conditions than under the latter. There is also more reaction against an arm 6i leaving a pole clockwise than there would be anticlockwise. Each arm, with its attractive eld, also accumulates potential energy with respect to its rotary system upon recession from a pole which is converted and returned to the rotary system as kinetic energy as a pole is approached. Accumulation as potential energy occurs during the initial part of a cycle of events brought about by relative rotor movements, and conversion to kinetic energy occurs during a later part of the cycle.

As already indicated, inertia mechanism 55 is. similar to mechanism 5l, and the same description applies to it as for mechanism 5l', except that the reference numerals for 55 have been primed on the drawings. As between mechanisms 55 and 5l the poles 'i3 and it are coplanar and so are poles 'i5 and l5.

As shown in Fig. l, a spring 'E9 couples each rotor quill il or t9 with the shaft 2i. Each spring is anchored at one end to an anchor nut 8i on a respective quill li or I9 and anchored at the other end to an anchor collar 83 on the shaft. The nuts 3i also enclose oil seals around the shaft 2i. The collars 83 are adjusted and anchored to the shaft in positions which leave the springs 'is unstressed when the rotors are in the relative positions of their pistons A, B, C, D and W, X, Y, Z, as shown in Fig. 5.

Operation is as follows, assuming that the engine has been started and that the pistons are in their positions shown in Fig. 5, the parts oi' the inertia mechanisms 5i and 55 being as shown in Figs. 3 andv 5,` and the reverse-locking ratchet mechanisms i5 and i3 being as shown in Figs. 4 and l0.

Referring to Fig. 5, the pistons W, X, Z on rotor Q are moving anticlocirwise. it is assumed that the plugs L are eiiecting ignition at a relatively low speed. The backs ci pistons W and Y are being pushed by an expansion event and their fronts are performing an exhaust event through ports E-i and lil-2 on their iront sides. Pistons Z and X (attached to the same rotor Q as are pistons W and Y) are performing a compression event on their rst sides and an intake event through ports I-l andv 1 2 on their rear sides.

Pistons A, B, C, D, attached to rotor P, are reverse locked by ratchet mechanism 45 (Fig. 4). Reverse locking occurs under the reactive force from the expansion events between pistons Dand 5,. Y and B and W, respectively. The inertia mechanism 5l is as shown in Fig. 3. The compression events between pistons Z and D and B and X, respectively, do not at this time reach a sufficiently high pressure to overbalance the effect of the expansion event on pistons D and B.

A succeeding piston arrangement is shown in Fig. 7, wherein pistons W, X, Y, Z have advanced on the locked pistons A, B, C, D, thus practically completing the expansion, intake, compression and exhaust events.

Fig. 8 illustrates an energy-transfer event between the rotors Q and P. The compression events between pistons Z and D and X and B,

y respectively, have reached a unit pressure sufficient to move the pistons D and B, in view of the fact that the pressures of the expansion events have become substantially reduced by reason of opening of ports E-l and E2, these having been crossed by pistons W and Y. This may be referred to as a collision event, although the pistons do not touch.

The next event is shown in Fig. 9, wherein the pistons W, X, Y, Z have reached a position in which they are reverse locked by means of` the ratchet mechanism 43. Pistons A, B, C, D are moving. Under the expansion event behind pistons B, D, exhaust is now occurring from between pistons D and Y and W and B, respectively, and intake between the pistons A and W and Y and C, respectively. Pistons A and C are compressing charges against the pistons Z and X, respectively, the latter being held in reverse-locked position by expansive pressure on their front sides.

The coordinate operation of the inertia mechanisms 55 and 5l will now be described. When the pistons A, B, C, D (belonging to rotor P) have the reverse-locked positions shown in Fig. 3, the arms 'El on this rotor P are as shown in Fig. 3. It will be recalled that at this time the ratchet mechanism 45 is locked (see also Fig. 4). This state of affairs continues as pistons W, X, Y, Z move to their positions shown in Fig. 7. Then as the pistons A, B, C, D move ahead as shown in Fig. 8, the respective arms 6| in Fig. 3 move anticloekwise. Since the ends of the arms 6I, which are at the poles 'I3 and moving anticlockwise, store potential energy slowly, and since the ends of the arms El adjacent poles 'I5 are rapidly converting potential to kinetic energy, the rotor P moves freely from its reverse-locked position. In the meantime, the rotor Q has been decelerating because of the compression event ahead of its pistons Z and X. This fact, taken in connection with the preceding higher velocity of the rotor Q, has resulted in its balls being at the extreme forward ends of their respective arms 6|. This, having increased the movement of inertia of the system attached to rotor Q, assures that its pistons W, X, Y, Z will move up into the previously held reverse-locked positions of pistons A, B, C, D. Then as ignition occurs, these pistons W, X, Y and Z become reverse locked, as shown in Fig. 9. Rotor P, because of the energy transfer from rotor Q and the expansion event, accelerates. Since the angular acceleration tends to drive balls S1 relatively backward and inward, the moment of inertia of the accelerating rotor P is reduced as energy is transferred to it from the decelerating rotor Q. Then as rotor P accelerates, its balls 61 tend to move outward and will be thrown forward when rotor P next decelerates.

In view of the above, it will be seen that each rotor system has its moment of inertia increased as its pistons approach those of the other rotor in the reverse-locked position of the latter. On the other hand, as a reverse-locked rotor system accelerates, its moment of inertia decreases momentarily. This assures that pistons of the decelerating rotor system can attain suiiicently advanced positions for reverse locking.

Thus each rotor alternately overtakes the other, approaching a reverse-locking position wherein its moment of inertia momentarily increases while that of the other momentarily decreases. These increases and decreases take place during energy transfer between the rotors. Moreover, the magnetic means operatively connecting each rotor as it approaches or leaves the reverse-locked position has a forward magnetic bias. Thus both rotary systems of rotor P and Q are biased forward as energy transfer takes place between the rotor systems.

The dilerential gear train 35, 31, 39 feeds the movements of both rotors into rotation of the shaft 2i at a substantially constant velocity. Or to be exact, the angular velocity of the shaft is equal to one half of the sum of the instantaneous velocities of the rotors.

One purpose of springs 19 is for starting by cranking the device from shaft 2 I. These springs are of a size that at a cranking speed in the range of 15G-200 R. P. M. a resonant vibration oscillation will build up in the system constituted by shaft 2! and the rotors P and Q. Thus if this shaft is cranked at a resonant speed, a slight drag of the pawl 5| of one rotor P in one of the notches i9 will cause this rotor P momentarily to lag behind. The spring-connected system P, Q, 2l with attached parts then starts to oscillate. Then the other rotor Q has its pawl 52 cross a notch 5t and sets in a slight resistance. As this process proceeds at resonant speed, the amplitude of the oscillations of the rotors increases as they rotate until the pistons A, B, C, D and W, X, Y, Z execute the relative movements illustrated in Figs. 5 9 and operation will set in. For starting purposes, springs "I9 with three coils of 1/g-inch wire having a coil diameter of 1 inch are illustrative in a machine wherein the diameters of the shaft extensions 23 and 25 are %inch. It is to be understood that if these springs are made stiifer, the resonant frequency can be made to occur at a higher speed, such as, say, 400 R. P. M., in which event a substantial part of the power is delivered from the rotors P and Q to the shaft 2| through the springs instead of through the differential gearings 35, 3?, 39. This reduces the load on such gearing and in fact permits continued operation of the device, should such gearing fail. This is of considerable advantage in aeronautical applications. Moreover, with sufficiently stiffer springs the dierential gearing 35, 3l, 39 can be dispensed with entirely, the drive occurring through the springs. This will be further described below. It will be understood in this connection that one particular resonant speed needs not be maintained for a successful cranking or running operation, with or without the differential gearing. This is because in any device having friction between its parts there is a broad band of speeds over which resonance occurs.

It will be understood that at higher operating speeds the glow plugs L may be deexcited and plugs I-I excited, which has the effect of advancing the time of ignition relative to the expansion events.

The plugs S are for starting with minimum or zero amplitude of oscillations by priming the enj gine, as by introducing fuel into the inlet ports I-I and `then cranking shaft 2l. This will carry charges of primed fuel past excited plugs S. Plugs H and L are not used yunder Vthese circumstances in order to avoid pre-ignition before the possibility of a reverse-locking event. The primed charge, when ignited by plugs S serves to start oscillations lbetween the advancing rotors P and Q. These build up to an operative degree as rotation proceeds. The plugs S are then deexcited and either plugs L or I-l are excited, `depending upon whether the engine is to be operatedat low or high speed. Speed is controlled by a suitable throttle connected with the lines serving the inlet ports I- and I-2.

In Figs. 1l and 12 is shown an alternative form of the invention in which like numerals designate like parts and require no further description. It will be seen from Fig. 1l that parts `are the same as in Fig. l, except that alternative inertia. mechanisms are used and the dinerential gearing 35, 39, 37, il has 'been omitted, 'the only connections between 'the rotors P and Q being through torsion springs. However, in Fig. ll these springs are stiffer and are numbered 85, being designed for running, as well as starting purposes, without the differential gearing. As a set of pistons such as A, B, C, D on .rotor P is driven forward, energy is supplied to the shaft-2l through the right-hand torsion spring. As the pistons A, B, C, D reverse lock, the pistons W, X, Y, Z on rotor Q are driven forward and supply energy to the shaft 2i through the left-'hand torsion spring 85. Under these driving conditions the system P, Q, 2l, including associated parts, will be in a state of resonant angular oscillation, with the shaft 2i operating at substantially constant speed. It will be understood that there is a range of such rescnant speeds over which starting operation will occur, in view of the friction in the apparatus. For example, starting may be brought about at 460 R. P. M. of the shaft 2| andthe operating speed be higher.

Figs. l1 and l2 also show a modication of the invention relating to the inertia mechanisms. These have been numbered Sl and 9 in Fig, il. Each comprises a .hub '9i for fastening to its respective quill ll'i or i9. From each hub extend four radial arms at the ends of which are attached arcuate channel members 93, which are closed at their ends as shown at 95 and which carry inertia ball masses 91. The arcs of the channel members are centered on the axis of shaft 2i. The angles subtended by the channels SQ in the channel members are slightly less than 45 but may range from one-third to two-thirds of the arc of travel of a rotor for one cycle of operations. Thus in the embodiment of Figs. l1 and l2, the arc might range from 30 to 60 (see Fig. 12)

During operation, energy transfer occurs between rotors as follows (Figs. 1.1 and l2) As the pistons oi one rotor compress a charge against the pistons of the other and the rotor decelerates, its masses 'l move forward to the ends of the channels Se, thus adding their moments of inertia to that of the decelerating rotor. As the other rotor accelerates from its reverse-locked position, due to the expansive thrust on its pistons, its masses 91 lag, thus temporarily freeing their rotor from them. Hence the energy transfer or collision event between the rotors is carried anticlockwise, so that the pistons of the trailing rotor can positively take up positions in which they may be reverse locked. Briey then, the inertia of the ball masses is momentarily Iadded to each 8 rotor as it decelerates toward reverse-locking position, and is momentarily subtracted as the rotor accelerates from the same position. By this means the trailing rotor is 'prevented from stopping short of attaining its reverse-locking position after the compressive collision event.

It will be clear that the springs may be applied to the constructions shown in Fig. 1 and its differential mechanism 35, 39, 31 and 4l removed as in Fig. 1l.

It will also be seen that by having four pistons per rotor, the chambers containing various events such as suction, exhaust, compression and expansion are oppositely located. Thus the pressures involved in these respective events are equalized around the drive rotors, which avoids unbalanced cross thrusts on the rotors. Bearing problems are thereby minimized.

t will be observed that, while the invention is exemplified herein by an engine which converts fuel energy into kinetic energy in the shaft 2i, by a mere inversion the shaft may be driven from an outside source of energy to operate upon the rotary systems Q and P, so that the device may act, for example, as a pump at resonant speed. This will be clear from considering the operation of the apparatus for starting purposes, as described above. Thus, broadly, the apparatus may be considered to comprise an assembly of two rotary cooperating systems, wherein alternately each system advances upon the other to effect a collision event through the interposed compressive charge with reverse-locking means operative during the collision event adapted to prevent reverse movement of the advancing system. `included in the system are individual power transmitting resilient driving means connecting the shaft respectively with each of said rotary systems. The resilience of veach driving means, as already made clear, is of an order to allow sufficient relative movement between the rotary systems to effect the collision and ot er events. Included with these features is the inertia means forming part of the assembly, which is operative during occurrence of the collision event, adapted alternately to make the moment of -enertia of one system larger relatively to the other as said one system advances upon the other and the other recedes therefrom.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim:

l. A rotary expansion engine comprising a frame, a power shaft, a toroidalcylinder attached in the frame and surrounding the shaft, a pair of rotors, each rotor having at least one piston in the cylinder, means 'including apparatus for alternately reverse locking the rotors in certain positions, means for producing power events between rotors, whereby alternately each rotor is driven vin a given direction with respect to the other, and individual resilient driving means between the respective rotors and the shaft.

2. Anengine made according to claim l, wherein said resilient driving means are torsionally operative coil springs each of which is anchored at 4one point to said shaft and at another point to one of the rotors.

3. A rotor for piston-typerotary expansion engines comprising a 'member forming a channel, a movable mass in the channel, said channel being shaped so that the channel upon angular deceleration of the rotor will direct the mass forward relative to rotor rotation movement.

4. A rotor made according to claim 3, wherein said channel is in the shape of a curve.

5. A rotor made according to claim 3, wherein said channel is in the shape of a curve which is concave in the direction of rotation.

6. A rotor made according to claim 3, wherein said channel is inthe shape of a circular arc.

7. A rotor made according to claim 3, wherein said channel is in the shape of a circular arc which is convex in the direction of rotation.

8. A rotor made according to claim 3, wherein said channel is in the shape of a circular arc the center of which is on the axis of the rotor.

9. A rotary expansion engine comprising a frame, a power shaft, a toroidal cylinder attached to the frame and surrounding the shaft, a pair of rotors, each rotor having at least two pistons in the cylinder, drive means connecting the rotors and the shaft, means effective throughout predetermined angles for producing intake, exhaust, compression and expansion events between the pistons of the respective rotors, means on the rotors forming closed channels, and movable masses in the channels, said channels being of circular shapes centered on the rotor axis, the angles subtended by said channels being less than said predetermined angles. A

10. A rotary expansion engine comprising a frame, a power shaft, a toroidal cylinder attached to the frame and surrounding the shaft, a pair of rotors, each rotor having four pistons in the cylinder, power transmission means connecting the rotors and the shaft, means effective throughout substantially right angles for producing intake, exhaust, compression and expansion events between the pistons of the respective rotors, means n the rotors forming closed channels and movable masses in the channels, said channels being of circular shapes centered on the rotor axis, the angles subtendeol by said channels being of the order of 30 to 60.

. 11. In'a rotary engine having an annular cylinder, a pair of rotors each carrying a plurality of pistons in the cylinder successively passing in the same direction certain reverse-locking positions, means responsive to expansion for successively reverse locking each rotor as its pistons reach said reverse-locking position, each succeeding piston compressing a charge against a preceding piston when the latter is reverse locked, said compressed charge being adapted to move the reverse-locked piston from said locking position, a drive shaft, driving means connecting each rotor with the shaft; and apparatus on each rotor responsive to rotor movement temporarily to increase the moment of inertia of the respective rotor and its connected parts as its pistons approach a reverselocking position, said apparatus on each rotor being constituted by a movable mass, and at least one arm on the rotor forming an outwardly extending curved channel in which the mass is located, said channel being of concave form in the direction of rotation of its rotor.

12. A rotary engine made according to claim 1l, wherein the curvature of said form is substantially semicircular.

13. A rotary engine made according to claim 1l, wherein the end of said arm is magnetic, and including a stationary magnetic pole adapted to be passed by said end as the pistons located on the rotor carrying the arm past a reverse-locking point.

14. In a rotary engine having an annular cylinder, a pair of rotors each carrying a plurality of pistons in the cylinder successively passing in the same direction certain reverse-locking positions, means responsive to expansion for successively reverse locking the rotors as their pistons reach said reverse-locking positions, each succeeding piston compressing a charge against a preceding piston when the latter is reverse locked, said compressed charge being adapted to move the reverse-locked piston from said locking position, a drive shaft, driving means connecting each rotor with the shaft, at least one magnetic arm on each rotor, and stationary poles adapted to be passed by the arms as the pistons of the respective rotors move through their reverse-locking positions, said arms being radially asymmetrically arranged with respect to the` poles whereby upon recession from a pole potential energy is stored in the rotor at a slower rate than it is converted to kinetic energy upon approach of a pole by the respective arm.

15. A rotary engine made according to claim 14, wherein the arms are of curved shapes with their concave portions in the direction of rotation.

16. A rotary engine made according to claim 11, wherein said channel is of circular cross section and said mass is constituted by a ball therein of relatively heavy material.

17. A rotary machine comprising a frame, a power shaft, an annular cylinder attached to the frame, a pair of rotors, each rotor having at least one piston in the cylinder, a reverse-locking means between each rotor and the frame, and at least one resilient power transmitting torsional connection between each rotor and the shaft.

18. A rotary machine comprising a frame, a power shaft, an annular cylinder attached to A the frame, a pair of rotors, each rotor having atA least one piston in the cylinder, intermittent reverse-locking means between each rotor and the frame, stationary permanent magnetic poles and magnetic arms on the rotors, each arm being mi adapted to pass a pole when its rotor is in a 5'0Y reverse-locking position.

19. A machine made according to claim 18, wherein each arm is radially asymmetrically disposed with respect to each pole which it passes.

20. Rotary apparatus comprising an assembly of at least two cooperating rotary systems, wherein alternately each system advances upon the other to effect a collision event, reverse-locking means operative during the collision event adapted to prevent reverse movement of the advancing system, a shaft, and individual resilient power transmitting driving means connecting said shaft respectively with each of said rotary systems, the resilience of each driving means being of an order to allow suiiicient relative angular movements between said rotary systems to effect said collision event.

21. Apparatus made according to claim 20, including means forming part of said assembly operative during the occurrence of the collision event adapted alternately to make the moment of inertia of one system larger relative to the other as said one system advances toward the other and the other recedes therefrom.

22. A rotary machine comprising a frame, a power shaft, an annular cylinder attached to the frame, a pair of rotors, each rotor having at least one piston in the cylinder, intermittent reverse-locking means between each rotor and the frame, at least two stationary magneticv poles associated with each rotor and connected to the frame according to a certain angular distribution, at least two magnetic arms connected with each rotor and located according to another angular distribution, the angular distribution of the poles on the frame and that of the respective arms on the rotors being unequal.

23. Apparatus made according to claim 22, wherein each arm is radially asymmetrically disposed with respect to each pole which it passes.

24. In rotary apparatus having an assembly consisting of a frame, a shaft, an annular cylinder xed with respect to the frame, two cooperative rotary systems having pistons withinthe cylinder, means for alternately reverse locking each system and moving the other relative thereto in order to eiect a cycle of operations between successive reverse-locking events, and drive connections between said rotary systems and the shaft; comprising operative means between each rotary system and the frame adapted during an initial part of a cycle of operations to accumulate potential energy with respect to its respective system and during a later part of the same cycle of operation to convert said potential energy to kinetic energy in said respective system.

25. In rotary apparatus having an assembly consisting of a frame, a shaft, an annular cylinder fixed with respect to the frame, two cooperative rotary systems having pistons within the cylinder, means for alternately reverse locking each system and moving the other relative thereto in order to effect a cycle'of operations between successive reverse-locking events, and drive connections between said rotary systems and the shaft; comprising operative magnetic means between each rotary system and the frame adapted during an initial part of a cycle of operations to accumulate magnetic potential energy with respect to its respective system and during a later part of the same cycle of operation to con-v vert said magnetic potential energy to kinetic energy in said respective system.

26. Apparatus made according to claim 25, wherein said operative magnetic means consists of a set constituted by at least one magnet which is continuously magnetically excited and at least one magnetic pole, one of which set is on the frame and the other on one of the rotary systems, the members of the set being adapted for relative approach and recessive movements upon rotation of said rotary system.

27. In rotary apparatus having an assembly consisting of a frame, a shaft, an annular cylinder xed with respect to the frame, two rotary systems having pistons within the cylinder, said systems including their pistons moving relatively in accordance with cycles of power events occurring between them, said systems respectively having driving connections with the shaft; comprising independent reverse-resistance means connecting the respective systems with the frame, and means forming part of each reverse-resistance means adapted at the expense of power delivered during one part of a cycle of power events to accumulate potential energy relative to the respective system and during a later part of said cycle to convert said potential energy to kinetic energy and to deliver it to the respective system. 1

28. In rotary apparatus having an assembly consisting of a frame, a shaft, an annular cylinder fixed with respect to the frame, two rotary systems having pistons within the cylinder, said systems including their pistons moving relatively in accordance with cycles of power events occurring between them, said systems respectively having driving connections with the shaft; comprising independent reverse-resistance means connecting the respective systems with the frame, and means forming part of each reverse-resistance means adapted by reaction with the frame and at the expense of power delivered during one part of a cycleof power events to accumulate potential energy relative to the respective system and during a later part of said cycle by reaction with the frame to convert said potential energy to kinetic energy and to deliver it to the respective system.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

